External affairs minister S. Jaishankar met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Wednesday during his brief visit to the city to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral and handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister and Rahman’s mother, passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness.

In the letter addressed to Rahman, Modi recalled his meeting with Zia in Dhaka in June 2015 and described her as a “leader of rare resolve and conviction”.

The Prime Minister said Zia had contributed to strengthening India-Bangladesh relations.

Modi wrote: “I am confident that her (Zia’s) ideals will be carried forward under your (Rahman’s) able leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and will continue to serve as a guiding light to ensure a new beginning and the enrichment of the deep and historic partnership between India and Bangladesh.”

There were indications that Jaishankar and Rahman discussed bilateral relations during their meeting.

Bangladesh high commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah said in a post on X: “As India’s Hon External Affairs Minister HE Dr @DrSJaishankar left Dhaka following a whirlwind 4-hr visit, #Bangladesh & #India would look forward to script a new chapter in Bangladesh-India ties, in shared interests driven by pragmatism and mutual interdependence, as indeed briefly discussed with @bdbnp78 Acting Chair this afternoon.”

In another post on the meeting, Hamidullah said Jaishankar “recognised her contribution to #democracy and expressed optimism to strengthen Bangladesh-India ties following democratic transition in Bangladesh through the upcoming election” duein February.

Jaishankar’s post on X on his meeting with Rahman focused mainly on the condolence message. “On arrival in Dhaka, met with Mr Tarique Rahman @trahmanbnp, Acting Chairman of BNP and son of former PM of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia. Handed over to him a personal letter from Prime Minister @narendramodi. Conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India. Expressed confidence that Begum Khaleda Zia’s vision and values will guide the development of our partnership,” the external affairs minister said.

In Dhaka, Jaishankar also met Touhid Hossain, who heads the Bangladesh foreign ministry as adviser, and, among others, Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Two photographs of Jaishankar shaking hands with Sadiq ahead of Khaleda’s funeral were posted by the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, on social media.

Khaleda’s funeral prayers, namaz-e-janaza, were held in the afternoon amid tight security at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek conducted the prayers while BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan read out a brief biography of Khaleda.

Yunus, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Khaleda’s son joined the funeral prayers along with foreign dignitaries, advisers to the interim government, leaders of different political parties and senior government and military officials.

“Please pray to Allah seeking her place in heaven,” Rahman told the crowd ahead of the prayers. Lakhs of people joined the namaz-e-janaza of the three-time Prime Minister.

Khaleda’s national flag-draped coffin was placed at the west end of Manik Mia Avenue. After the prayers, her mortal remains were laid to rest beside her husband Ziaur Rahman’s grave in the city with state honours.

Besides Jaishankar and Sadiq, other countries in the region, including Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives, were represented at the funeral. Heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations stationed in Dhaka, including those of the US, China, the UK and Russia, were also present.